Windmill



Sept. 25, 1923 G. F. ZUCKER WINDMILL Filed March 22, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 25 1 9.2 3.

Filed March 22, 1922 G. F. ZUCKER WINDMILL 4 SheetQ-Sheet 5 97 Sept. 25 1923.

G. F. ZUCKER WINDMILL 4 Sheds-Sheet 4 Q Fil ad March 22. 1922 Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

I messes tries.

GOTTLIEB r. zuorrnn, or CHICAGO, ILLInoIs.

WINDMILL.

Application filed March 22, 1922. Serial No. 545,918;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gorrmnn F. Zncnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Windmills. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to air motor power;

. The object of the invention is toprovide a mechanism of this class which is always ready to operate regardless of the direction of the wind and which can be adjusted to any wind velocity, the same being equipped with safety devices which prevent misoperation of or injury tothe device in case of an unexpected change in the velocity of the wind.

The invention consists in mechanism for accomplishing the foregoing and other objects which can be easily and cheaply made, which is satisfactory in use and is not readily liable to'get out of order. More particularly, the invention consists in the features and deails of construction hereafter more fully set forth in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals denote the same parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a central vertical view par-' tially in section, of the complete windmill mechanism illustrating this invention in its preferred form:

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the left hand half of the mechanism appearing in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the position of the different blades at a given moment of operation; 7

Figure 5 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1 taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, showing the positions of the immediately adjacent wind blades;

Figure 6 is a plan view corresponding to F igure 4, showing the mechanism of that figure equipped with a new form of wind blade; j c

igure? is a similar view of the mechani ust referred to, corresponding to origi n i Figure 5;

igure 8 is a face view ;1

F Figure 9 is a sectional sid View;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a new form of wind eng'agable door,.taking the place of door -42-44 of the original application. 4

The subject matter of the foregoing fi'gures is all shown, described and claimed in my application No. 465,492, abandoned contemporaneously with-the filing'of this. application andithe subject matter of the first live figures was also disclosed in a still earlier application No. 360,933, which was abandoned on the filing ofsaid application no. 465,492. V

Figure 11 is a plan and Figure 12 is a side sectlonalview on line 12, Flgure 11, of vane carried wind guldmg devices appllcable to the mechanism of the foregoing figures; and

Figure 13 is a reduced size end view of the mechanism of Figure 12. I I

The mechanism of this invention is preferably mounted above and V concentrically 5 with the vertical axis of a suitable house 10 having a roof 12 forming a room 14 within which the operatorcan work. Journaled in suitable bearings 1618, carried by this this vertical shaft are two horizontal planes 2426 of suitable construction, braced apart by sultable supports as 28 not entering into this Invention and therefore not shown in detail. Surrounding the upper portion of V the house mechanlsm 10 and suspended from the lower plane 24 is a cylindrical casing 30 of imperforate material from ,whose'bottom ends is supported an annular horizontal plane 32 sustained by the walls of the cas ing 30 and the bracing mechanism 28, here tofore referred to. 7 p

R-adially mounted with referenceto the and 32 area plurality'of sets of wind blades or doors in the particular case illustrated in c Figure 4, six sets, each set as a whole being shaft 2220 and between the planes 24, 26,

designated in' that figure as 34, 35, 36,- 3738 f and 39 respectively. Each-set of blades com prises the equipment shown in Figure 3 and the equipeach two opposite sets comprise ment shown in Figure 1. I

' Each single set of blades or door equip- "pendedifron plane 2 the other is pivoted above plane 26, the selectionin the particular case being the door 424: hinged at 50 from the upper plane while the door'e2'is hinged at .52 from the lower plane. The doors described are prevented from swinging beyond a desired vertical planejby'the angular stops 53 and clearly shown in Figure 3. Each respective. deorcarries a counterweight arm 56, 57 and- 58 carrying"- at its outer endian adjustable counterweight .60. By moving the counterweights 6O in and out on the respective arms the respective doors may be so adjusted to handle any wind pressure which may be brought against them. Each door is also provided with one or more safety supplemental doors 62 hinged at 64: and adju'stably'held closed by a co npression sprii' ig 66 on arod 68. Eachspring is selectively controlled by a nut screw threaded on said rod.- The respective springs 66 are so adjusted that when the pressure against the main door becomes-too great the supplemental doorsor' slats 62 open and let part of the wind'through, thus reducing the pressure on the main'door or vanei Each doors l is provided with a latch 72. adapted'to secure itup against the plane.

24. Each door l2 is provided with a latch 74 adapted: to secure it down against the plane 26,v and each door L0 isprovided with. a latch'76 adapted to secure it up against'the under side of plane 26; Each latch 7 2 is mounted on-ashaft? 8, carrying a dog 80 engageable by a reciprocable collar 82 driven by a rod 8% in case 22, sa1d rod being inanipulable' by a handle 86in theworkmans room 1%. In corresponding manner each latch 74 is moved by the dog88 and driven by a reoiprocable collar 90 car .ried on a swing 92 controlled by a handle 94E. In asimilar manner each latch 76 moves in. unison with the dog 96 manipulatedby a handle 98 through the ageney'of a sleeve 100. The workman can' by properly nianipulat'ing these'h-an'dles cause therespe'c tive latchesto hold their adiacentdoorsin horizontal position; inw'hich position the wind has noeffejetuponthe doors or upon the device, and conversely he can, by prop; erly manipulating the handles, prevent the doors evergaecidentally latcl in that position, It i v stated thatthe latches are inov'edein one direction by suit-- able springs 102. They; normally stand is suspended from plate 26' wheel.

ng themselves ncense ready to catch the doors. They are prevented from doing so by moving the hand levers. V

In the operation of the device, assume that the wind is blowing horizontally throughthe wheel'mechanisinin the direction of the arrows 104, Figure 4:. 'The wind on the right hand half of the central shaft 22 swings the respective sets of doors 36, 37 and 38 to the positions indicated in Figures 4 and 5 wherein the wind passes freely through between the horizontal planes without sub: stantial resistance to the rotation of the On the other hand the wind onthe left hand half of the wheel strikes the different sets of doors more or less. squarely and 7 causes the wheel torotate in a clockwise direction as viewed 111- Figure 4'. As eachset of doors approaches theposition of 36-each door. swings from vertical position to the position there showngf finally assumes the position shown in 3'7 and then returns. throughposition 38' to the vertical position 39 wherein they are ready todo useful work in turning the: wheel.

As has heretofore. been ind'icat'edrthe suppleinental doors 62 protect the [device from,

damage if the wind becomes excessive and the proper adjustment of: the counterweight 6O enables the doors to beadjusted to s wing as desired on either the light or strong wind position. the; wind always blows in: that direction, at

7 least the device does away with all necessity for changes in the position of the wheel, such as required with vertical wind inills which must always automatically change them.- selves in position to suit. the varying Wind conditions. The device may be built very largefin order tocreate great power in single unite i In order to increase the efficiency of the" mechanism shown in Figures 1' to of the drawings it has been found desirable to equip the doors 40%l-2 -l-.4 {that structure .witlr wind retaining. pockets so constructed function in the same manner as "supplemen tal doors In applying. this lmpr'oved structures doors at k are. replacedby door frames llO-1l2-ll4:.pivoted as at 115" just as doors 40la are, andfequippedwith a lattice workor grid: structurefvlltl, clearly As the wheel'flis horizontal and shown in face View in Figure8, providinga plurality of rectangular walled. passages through the face of each door, through which in the absence of. mechanism hereafter deair engaging? the face of the door passes. 7 side which the windstrilres. is preferably but not necessarily a plane surface. while theopposite surface 122 is co'nvexly curved in The su rf ace lfll of the door on the a semi-circle as clearly shown in Figure 9. Each of these walled perforations 118 is closed, by one of a series of supplemental doors 124-126-128 or 130 which lie edge to edge on and in fact form the surface 122. Each of these supplemental doors is provided on one side with a proper hinge connection to the door proper and is adapted to be swung outward'from its full lineto the dotted. line position of Figure 9 against the act-ion of a suitable retractile spring 182 connected to the adjacent supplemental door and lying within the adjacent passage 118. These springs are at such a tension'that under an ordinary wind pressure the wind striking the face 120 of each door enters the respective passages 118 ofthe door and pushes against the opposite small or supplemental door 124-480, as the case may be, to propel the windmill in the ordinary manner, as fully set forth heretofore. but when the wind pressure is too strong, the doors 12413O partially or wholly open under such pressure and let the wind through, just as doors 162 open in the prior construction.

Means for adjusting tension of the springs 132 is readily providab-le by any suitable means, as for instance roClS 134 and adjusting nuts 136. suitably to the springs in any man-. ner obvious to any mechanic.

in other respects than the foregoing the structures of Figures 6 to 10 inclusivedo not differ in any patentable sense from the door mechanism of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

In order to further increase the efficiency of the device by directing all of the wind toward the left hand side of the wheel and to exclude it from the right hand side thereof, when it is operating as shown and described in connection with Figure 4, and also as evenly possible to distribute the wind which approaches said left hand side of the wheel between the various doors 404244 which are engaged by the wind on said left handside of the wheel, the mechanism of Figures 11.. 12 and 13 is provided. This device consists of three bunched, tubular air passages 140. 142 and 144. grouped together as shown in Figure 13 and suspended on the framework. 146 of a weathervanelike device 148 pivoted at 150 concentrically with the wind mill wheel 2432 equipped at its opposite ends with wings or vanes 152 so constructed that the air will operate upon them as upon an ordinary weather vane to swing the mechanism here described so that its open end 154 always points towards the wind, whereby wind blowing into passage 142 will be directed exclusively to swinging door 42: wind blowing in passage 144 will be directed exclusively to swinging door 44 and wind blowing in passage 140 will be di-- rected exclusively to door 40. The frame ..146 is provided beyond the tubular. parts described with a wheel enclosing flap 156 adaptedto' exclude wind from the wheel at that point, and'it is provided at its front ,with a laterally extending .curved wall 158 forming a part of passages 140 and 144, which tends to protect the right hand half of the main windmill wheel 2432 from the wind blowing in the direction of arrows 104, Figure 4, when the. wheel is operated as shown and described in connection with that figure. By the use of this device all of the wind blowing in the direction of said arrows 104 is directed to the left hand half of the wheel where it should go for efficient operation of the wind mill wheel 24 -32 and it is I cure by Letters Patent, is': v

1 In mechanism of the class described, a rotatable-vertical shaft, horizontal upper and lower planes fixed to the shaft, and a plurality of pairs of blades between the planes, the blades of each pair being respectively hinged to the planes with their hinge axes radial to the shaft 2. In mechanism of the classdescribed, a rotatable vertical shaft, horizontal up per and lower planes fixed to the shaft, and

a plurality of pairs of blades between the. planes, the blades of each pair being hinged respectively to the planes for movement in a plane parallel to the axis of said shaft.

3. Inmechanism of the class described,

a'rotatable vertical shaft, horizontal upper and lower planes fixed to the shaft, and a plurality of pairs of blades between the planes, the blades of each pair being hinged respectively to the planes for movement in a plane parallel to the axis of said. shaft and disposed when in active position in a common" plane. radial with respect to the shaft. i

4. In mechanism of the class described, a pivoted horizontal wheel. wind engaging bladescarried by said wheel pivoted to swing from a vertical position to a horizontal position, pivoted latches mounted on described jmy inven-' tion, what I claim as new and desire to se of the class described, a

loo

blades carried by said wheel pivoted to 7 swing from a verticalto a horizontal position," pivoted latches mounted on the wheel for engaging and holding respective blades in 'a'horizontal, position, spring means 'constantly urging each latch to blade engaging position, and means for. selectively moving said latches to blade releasing position.

6. In mechanism of the class described,- a pivoted horizontal wheel, wind engaging blades carried by said wheel pivoted to swing-from a vertical to ahorizontal position, pivotedl'atches mounted on the wheel move each door.

rallit for engaging and holding respective blades in a. horizontal position, spring means con stantly urging-each latch to blade engaging position, a plurality of elements movable axi ally of the wheel, means for selectively movingsaid elements, and connections between each element and predetermined latches where y the movement of an element in a given direction will actuate the relatedlatches to blade releasing positions.

(T- n a meehanism'ot the class described, a rotatable horizontal wind wheel, a plurality of blades pivoted on the wheel for movement from horizontal to vertical po-' sition, a laterally directed arm secured to each blade, and a weight adjustable longi tudinally of each arm to vary the resistance vofiered by the related blade ,a :ainst move- Incnt from horizontal to vertical position.

plane, l counterweight mechanismsfor adjusting the wind pressurerequired to 9. in mechanism of the class" described,

a door having one wind engagable face and an opposite curved face made up of: a pluof supplementaldoors, o-penablc bypressure of windentering' the door on the planestace, and means through the door" forming a passage-leading: to each of the supplemental doors.-

10, In mechanism of the class'described, a door hav one wind engagableface and an opposite curved :tace made up 01 a phiral ti'r' of supplemental doors, spring controlled so that they may be opened by the pressure ct wind entering lilltlQOY on the plane face, and a grid work through the door forming a passage leadingto eachof the supplementaldoors.

' surface coincident with the frame of the door, the ends 05- the grid work on the s-apposite side of thedoorlying on the arc of l a, circlecu-rve'd toward said plane surface,

mechanism of the class tescrib'ed, 1 a rectan ular door frame-open at its central esa-cs4 12. In mechanism of the class'described, a rectangular door frame open at its central portion, said opening having across it a plurality of paritions forming an open grid worln'the ends of the gridwork onside' of the door lying substantiallyin plane sur- 7 faceco-lncident with the frame of the door,

the ends of the grid work on the opposite side of the door lying on the are ot a circle curved toward said plane surface, a supplemcntal door for each passage through the grid work lying on the curved side of the door and springcontrolled to permit passing through the grid work from the plane si e ofthe door to open it, and means for adjusting. the tension of each spring control mechanism. 7 I

in mechanism oii'the cass described, in 00211 ation withawind mill mechanism, a door adapted to be en aged by wind to 1 ropel that mecha ism,- pertorated in the d on in which the wind strikes the door in toe iorni ot'a plurality of parallel passage lead.in to supplemental doors at the backs o'l' salt; passages, one for each such.

supplemental doors lying; on the arc of cle, i l equipped to permittlm pressure, for the purposes set forth.

In mechanism o't lassdescrd ed,

the combination with wind wheel rotatle on a vertical axis provided with a p unlity oi radially arrangeddoors which bcc Ill-C5 cilcctlvc "tor wheel rotating; pun only when 1 ca ed to one side of the JO pass them when it exceedsa certain ll l ""5- of rotshe wheel, a wind direct 5.: t-ul incch in re. ble 7 upon, t. r i ,I the wind wheel pointed toward that lit ot the wheel which 7 isctiectivel'y o to rotatioz i the able on a vertical prope t'van'e mechanism engagealwavs turning said tul'ic.

axis and provided:with a aluralitv'ot radiallv arraa iicfl doors which i l u I become effective for wheel rotatposes only when moved to one si TIQ puroil the of rotation of the wheel, awind d' recti ing: tube carried by mechanism rotatable upon the same ans the wind wheel pointed toward'thaJ half ofthe wheelwlnch is' ef ective-l oocratino". tor-rotation of the I I j windwheel and a vane mocha able by the Wind always turning said; tube tQl SvOG the wind and lead it to the proper side of said windrwheel, andmeans carried with the tube excluding the wind from ready access to the other half of the wheel.

16. in mechanism of the class described, a horizontally disposed wind wheel provided on each of a plurality of radii with a plurality of vanes or doors which are only effective when on one side of the pivotal aXis of the wheel to be there engaged by the.

wind which strikes the wheel and areinoperative when on the other side of the pivotal of the wheel, a plurality of wind directing tubes, one for each of said blades on a given radius of the wheel, a frame mounting for said tubes on the side of the Wheel at which said blades become effective, and

means automatically moving said bunch of tubes to always the wind,'f0r the purposes set forth.

17. in mechanism of the class described,

ing for said tubes on the side of the wheel always face the wind, and means carried with the bunch of tubes excluding the wind from ready access to the other half of the wheel, for the purposes set forth.

18.111 mechanism of the class described, in combination witha horizontally disposed rota-table wind wheel having wind engageable bladesvon a plurality of its radii, effective to rotate the wheel when on one side only of the wheel axis, a frame pivot-ed to rotate concentrically with said wheel, a weather vane on said frame adapted to antomatically swing the main axis of the frame into the line of vthe wind, a plurality of tubes on the end of the frame which is" opposite to the weather vane mechanism so arranged and shaped as to lead wind blowing along the axis of the frame to the effectlve vanes on said wheel and to exclude, in

large measure, the wind from' the other side of the wheel, for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ooT LIEs F. ZUCKER. 

